Using an app on your phone to see if you might have a heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia): this is an example of digital health, or the use of digital technology in healthcare. Dominik Linz, professor of Comprehensive Atrial Fibrillation Management at CARIM and cardiologist at the Heart+Vascular Center, focuses on this field and on the treatment of arrhythmias. For the upcoming Pulse Day on 1 March, he wants to show how easy it is to measure your own pulse with an app. “The goal is to collect more than 20,000 digital pulses in Maastricht.”

Dominik grew up in Mainz, Germany. “That is where I studied as well,” he says. “I did my PhD in Maastricht and completed my training as a cardiologist in Homburg, Germany. Then, I went to Australia for three years to do a fellowship focusing on arrhythmia treatment. I returned to Maastricht in 2019. Shortly after, the COVID-19 pandemic began. Due to the pandemic, we set up a research line around digital health and remote care. For example, we are working on various apps that we use together with patients, collecting a lot of data and conducting research. My other research line is focused on the treatment of atrial fibrillation, a specific arrhythmia where the heart rate is irregular. I have been very interested in arrhythmias and their treatment since my student days, and I still am.”

Unique and effective

Additionally, Dominik is professor in Lifestyle Factors in Cardiac Arrhythmia in Copenhagen. “On average, I spend three weeks per month in Maastricht and one week in Copenhagen. We have an animal laboratory there. Through the collaboration between Maastricht and Copenhagen, we can quickly bring clinical questions to this lab. We can then apply the findings from the animal laboratory directly to the treatment of arrhythmias. I think this is a very unique and effective way of conducting interesting research together.”

"Currently, we are focusing on the pulse, but perhaps in the future you could also measure your blood pressure with a phone."

One in three

Dominik is also involved in Pulse Day, an international awareness campaign about arrhythmias. “Pulse Day was initiated by the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) to raise awareness of arrhythmias and that they are very common,” he explains. “This campaign takes place on 1 March, the first day of the third month, because one in three people worldwide will develop an arrhythmia in their lifetime. We want to show everyone that measuring your pulse is very simple. You can do this by placing your finger on your wrist, but you need to know how to interpret the result. We have another way: an app on your phone, where you can measure your pulse by placing your finger in front of the camera. The result then appears directly on your screen, so you can easily see if the pulse is fast or slow, regular or irregular, and what that means.”

More than 20,000 digital pulses

The goal is to collect more than 20,000 digital pulses in Maastricht with this app by 1 March 2026. “Everything is anonymous: we can only see how often the app is used, but the information cannot be traced back to specific individuals,” says Dominik. “That is not the purpose of this campaign. The goal is to see if apps like this, which are normally used for patients, can be used more broadly to create awareness among the general public.”

Scalable apps

Dominik also wants to explore whether similar apps could be used for other health goals. “If you want to measure your pulse at the general practitioner, it creates a lot of extra work for them: scheduling appointments, hiring more nurses... That is not scalable,” he explains. “An app, however, is scalable. Currently, we are focusing on the pulse, but perhaps in the future you could also measure your blood pressure with a phone. We could also see if we can detect certain conditions, such as diabetes, early on. This way, you can offer treatment early and make a significant impact on people’s lives.”

Want to know more about Pulse Day? Visit the website, follow #PulseDay on social media and measure your own digital pulse.